Robots are able to grasp and manipulate objects using a series of linkages, which in turn are interconnected via one or more motor-driven robotic joints. End-effectors are the particular linkages used to perform a given task at hand, e.g., the grasping of a work tool or other object. Humanoid robots are a dexterous type of robot having an approximately human structure or appearance, whether a full body, a torso, a hand, or another appendage. The structural complexity of a dexterous robot is largely dependent upon the complexity of the commanded work task.
Due to the wide spectrum of work tasks that can be performed by a dexterous robot, a complex sense of touch is often required to enable handling of objects in a precise and reliable manner. Miniature strain sensors or multi-axis load cells are one possible sensor type adapted for measuring linear force and torque at or along various contact surfaces, e.g., between mating fingers and/or a thumb of the same or different robotic hands.